


❛ Where it all began. ❜

by echoingsoul



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Other, Song: Here Comes a Thought
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-29
Updated: 2020-04-29
Packaged: 2021-03-01 20:00:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,343
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23912707
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/echoingsoul/pseuds/echoingsoul
Summary: Before Detroit Evolution: Nines discovers a new mindset while he's on the Zen Garden.
Relationships: Upgraded Connor | RK900/Gavin Reed
Comments: 6
Kudos: 53
Collections: Reed900, The Instability in my Software





	❛ Where it all began. ❜

“You know that feeling? Like, everything around you is crumbling down and the harder you fight the further you sink? Yes… It’s when you start questioning yourself about how much it matters to keep going, or if it would be better to just… let go. Some things provoque much more pain holding them together than letting it fall. So, you see, I’m right here, talking to my reflection on the water, getting no answer in return because I have nobody but myself right now. And the only advice I can give me is: Don’t fucking cry. Uh-huh. That should do it.”

“That’s the most pessimistic shit I’ve ever heard, and it’s coming from me, tin can.” Nines couldn’t do much more than flinch at that point, and thankfully he didn’t fall over the bridge when he turned his gaze up, finding Detective Reed with a smirk on his lips and those eyebrows making a figure like the birds children use to paint on sunsets. With that thought, the android came back to himself -if he had a soul, that would be it- and let a subtle laughter come out his nostrils.

“What are you doing here?” Not the smarter question, immediately Nines thought to himself, but not like outloud in his head because he was already there, it was in his deeper… whatever. He was still wrapping the facts.

“You tell me, smartass.” Gavin crossed his arms under his crest, pursed his lips on a fine line, so much that his dimples were visible. Finally, the taller one took a deep breath while his eyes traveled up to the equally colorized sky.

“... Okay.” He got up slowly and tilted his chin towards the roofless kiosk, where time ago he talked to Amanda. The decorations remained there, but a little brighter if he wanted to be honest. Everything was clearer since deviancy, more intense, he could see all the flowers before, he could tell their exact color and recite all the scientific information about it; but observing them, and actually feeling their texture, the smells and the emotions all that carried. It was magnificent. “You’re here because I need your help.” He decided.

His partner rolled his eyes. “Three hours of utter silence just for you to say that?”

“Only eighty two seconds had passed since I started walking on the marble.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Gavin let his arms fall to its place so he could explore the surroundings. It was an exact replica of the actual detective, but his clothes were different: he was wearing a white t-shirt. His appearance… same messy hair, his eyes looked less sunken, the scar on his nose was the same. It was what he wanted the detective to be someday: relaxed, rested, with a decent sleeping schedule and a breakfast without a dose of nicotine. “Are you finished looking at my insides and shit?”

“I wasn’t looking at your insides, Gavin.” The model RK900 replied with that condescendent tone in his voice, like he used to do when something was extremely obvious, as if everything should be as easy to understand to everybody as it was to himself. Sometimes he forgot how superior he was, not everyone could analyze things with the same capacity, not even other androids. Also, he sometimes assumed every human being was as smart as the green eyed man by his side. “I’m just surprised I found you here. Or, better said, you found me.”

“I was expecting for you to make the move, y’know. But then I saw your sorry robot ass talking to the water like you were expecting Poseidon to come out and save you.”

“Are you into Greek Mythology now?”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” Clicked his tongue and walked down the four steps to a path leading to a small clearing through the trees, in front of a little lake. Though he didn’t know if a lake was supposed to have a whirlpool right in the middle. It wasn’t chaotic, its waves loose strength as they got wider, and it was enough to keep the water course after all. Nines frowned, too focused on trying to organize the new questions arriving in the back of his eyes.

Wasn’t the river supposed to be a circumference? Where would the river lead him if he followed it? Could he possibly get lost in his mind? Stuck? How didn’t he realize that simple, useless fact, before? What other things was he taking for granted? Desperately he looked for Gavin, locked his puppy blue eyes on the navy green pearls. He needed answers, he felt confused and overwhelmed with so little. Part of him understood why humans insisted so badly to ignore most of the quantum information they received.

“Nines, you’re not all-knowing. And it’s okay to feel lost sometimes, even in your own head.” His voice came out so peacefully, the android smiled. For the first time since he saw the projection of Gavin on his head, his LED turned blue, because before it was dancing between red and yellow like a hellhole fire ring. He wasn’t aware of it, and the detective didn’t say a word about it.

“You should say that to yourself every time you fill your body with caffeine and cigarettes.” Replied, a bit more aggressive than he attempted. Too much for finding peace.

“Ouch.”

“Sorry… I just…” He sighed. It was kind of funny how he usually never needed to breathe but then Gavin just came in and spinned all around, sucking the air out of his non-existing lungs. “I’m worried about you, this case is taking us weeks to crack and you’re not listening to me. Always pushing me away, I’m getting tired.”

“Tired? Of what?” That query hit him like a truck, he blinked several times navigating the possibilities, the logic, the ideal algorithm. And, unsurprisingly, there was no such thing in feelings.

“Of… not being good enough.” Murmured before clenching his jaw. For God’s sake, it was hard to admit being afraid, it was hard being vulnerable. He began to comprehend Gavin’s moody attitude, those sarcastic comments, the grunting. It was fear, disasolation. Of course, he thought the android was up to stealing his job instead of cooperating along. Another sigh, he should have known better.

“I kinda feel ya.” There was nothing more to say at that point, Nines knew Gavin had had a difficult life, but when it came to androids hatred he assumed it was just because. After all, RK900 felt no intimidation around people with that kind of attitude. He was just as cruel, cold and merciless as his coding demanded. When deviancy appeared, he couldn't do much but to continue acting like a machine, not sharing his concerns, avoiding personal approach…

“Once,” the android started, “I told you that I feel plenty, but just because I was not interested in sharing it with you it didn’t mean I wasn’t a deviant.” Gavin nodded slowly, he already figured out where Nines was getting to. “I should have known it was pretty similar to you, it still is.”

“And I’m not gonna change soon, life’s been shitty all over the years. I’m haunted, and working is the only thing that gets me through it.”

“Working with me as well.”

“Now, don’t get too cocky, tin can.” A soft laughter abandoned the lips of both detectives, that nickname wasn’t offensive anymore.

“Thank you, for coming when I needed you most.” Took the steps he needed to stand in front of his partner’s simulation and offered a kind smile, what he saw in return was just priceless: a non-sarcastic smile, not wide enough to reveal his teeth, but he could see those dimples covered with the fine beard. His heart did a tip tap dance, sending thirium all over his body with increased velocity; for the first time, he realized it was not annoying.

“Yeah, well, we have work to do.” Gavin patted Nines shoulder in a bro-thing action. More than enough to settle things down and start working with a whole new bigger picture.


End file.
